


Fathers and Tarts

by bitboozy



Category: Broadchurch
Genre: F/M, Gen, Post-Series, Requests, one shots
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-25
Updated: 2020-05-25
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:35:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24374386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bitboozy/pseuds/bitboozy
Summary: Ellie steps in to defend Alec when Tess takes things a little too far.
Relationships: Alec Hardy & Ellie Miller, Alec Hardy/Ellie Miller
Comments: 18
Kudos: 174





	Fathers and Tarts

**Author's Note:**

> For @seahorsepencils and @stageandhistory on Tumblr who requested "Protect" from this [list of Fic Requests](https://bitboozy.tumblr.com/post/619036393765847040/verb-prompts).  
> Feel free to pop on over and make your own request!

Climbing up the hill with flip flops on is not the best idea Ellie has ever had. But she’s already halfway up before the regret sets in so she soldiers on.

He’ll laugh at her outfit, she knows, but it’s the bloody middle of bloody summer and he can shove it. (She’s already fashioning her retort to his inevitable snickering.) This is what people _wear_ , goddamnit. A thin-strapped flowy teal-coloured top with jean shorts and flip flops. This is normal. (Sometimes she forgets what’s normal because he eschews all flavors of it.)

She’s sweating, which is also normal. But he’ll take the piss out of her for that too.

Christ, why on earth does she like him so much anyway?

The thought festers as she travels the path to his house. And it falls right out of her head when she hears a familiar voice tearing through the air with uncommon fervor.

Something about _being a father_ , about _being there_ , about _working late_. A bit of nonsense about _making up for lost time_ and how it _better be bloody worth it_.

Tess.

Ellie briefly thinks about turning back around before she is seen. But then there’s something about being _no good_ and _why do you bother_. And it sets her skin aflame with fury.

She rounds the path and sees Alec sitting in his adirondack chair near the front door. Tess is standing a few feet away, haranguing him. Neither seems to notice her at first.

“And now I hear you’ve been bringing a bloody _girl_ ‘round, as if Daisy’s not had _enough_ change thrust upon her in the last year,” Tess chides him. “Love to see what sort of tart you’ve managed to get your hands on.”

The sound of Ellie’s flip flops gives her away as she shuffles angrily towards them. Alec stands, but Ellie just shoves herself in between him and Tess.

“ _This_ sort of tart,” Ellie exclaims with an strange sort of pride.

“Ellie – “

“Oh, right,” Tess scoffs. “Miller, of course.”

Ellie places her hands on her hips, undeterred. “Do you have any idea how much thought and energy this man puts into being a father? Do you know that he spends nearly every waking moment considering how best to make her happy? Make her feel safe and loved? Christ, it’d be annoying if it wasn’t so bloody endearing,” she says. “And I say this not only as the _bloody girl_ he’s been bringing ‘round but as the partner who works with him ten plus hours a day.”

Tess folds her arms across her chest and fixes Ellie with an icy glare.

“Dunno what you’ve got on in your life at the moment, far be it for me to say or even guess, but it’s clear you’re projecting your own unhappiness onto _him_ and I’m telling you right now it’s not going to work, not if I have any say,” she continues.

There’s a standoff, a long silence in which there are many short silences.

Tess takes a step toward the front door of the house. “I’ll just say goodbye to Daiz.”

But Ellie is quick. She jumps in front of her, blocking her way. “That’s all right, she’s fine.” Ellie tilts her head back toward the house, knowing instinctively that Daisy has been listening from her bedroom window. “Daiz?” She calls. “Say goodbye to your mum then!”

Without even appearing in the window, Daisy sheepishly calls back, “….Bye, Mum.”

"There you are then."

Tess glares at Ellie, then at Alec, then turns on her heel and swiftly travels down the path and out of sight.

Ellie smiles to herself. She feels as if she’s just slayed a dragon.

Then Alec pushes past her into the house. If she’d put any thought into it beforehand, she might’ve predicted this.

He goes straight for the couch. She follows him in, but continues down the short hallway to Daisy’s room and knocks on the door.

“It’s Ellie.”

“Come in.”

Daisy is gathering things into a backpack when Ellie enters.

“You all right, love?”

“Yeah, all right,” Daisy replies. It’s somewhat uncertain, but honest nonetheless. “Off to Chlo’s for awhile.”

Ellie nods. “Give your dad a hug before you go, yeah?”

Daisy throws her bag over her shoulder and then it’s Ellie she hugs.

“Oh,” Ellie exhales, giving her a squeeze.

Then Daisy pulls away without a word. Ellie follows her into the living room, where Daisy leans down and kisses her dad on the cheek.

“Just be at Chloe’s for a while,” she says. “Love you.”

Alec watches her flit out the door. “Love you too, darlin’.”

Ellie leans against the doorframe and smiles at his slightly shell-shocked face. He glances at her, then away again.

“Look ridiculous,” he mutters.

She grins. It’s incredibly comforting to have predicted this. “It’s _summer_!” She fixes her hair – a few strands have escaped from the clips that holds it off her neck. “You’re the one who looks bloody ridiculous in that ridiculous suit.”

He frowns at her. “Went into work this morning.”

Ellie sighs. “ _Why_.”

He shrugs.

“We’ve talked about this. You going into work on Saturdays when there’s no earthly reason – “

“I know.”

Her eyes flicker over him. He seems more morose than usual. She slowly walks over to the couch and sits beside him, though he is turned slightly away from her.

“What set her off this time?”

“Honestly, who can say at this point,” Alec replies darkly.

She places a hand at his back. “Well, why do you just sit there, why do you not – “

“No point. Believes what she wants to.”

Ellie sighs. “Well it doesn’t matter, does it? What she believes. Matters what _you_ believe and what Daisy believes.”

He leans forward, rubbing his hands over his face. She watches for a moment.

“I know it isn’t ideal,” she says softly. “Me inserting myself into – “

“My girlfriend fightin’ my battles for me? No, it isn’t.”

She straightens, eyes wide. “Two shags and suddenly I’m your _girlfriend_ , am I.”

He glances at her furtively. “Three shags.”

Ellie raises an eyebrow.

“Two the other night,” he explains tersely.

She leans back against the couch, crossing one leg over the other. “Mm-hmm.”

Alec turns toward her finally. “Nice legs.”

“ _Finally_.”

He leans back as well, his expression softening. “What’re you doin’ here anyhow.”

She looks away coyly. “Tom’s with his mates, Fred’s got a playdate with Lizzie,” she replies. “Unexpected afternoon off.”

“………Ah.”

“Ah. Yes.”

She reaches out a runs her index finger from his collarbone all the way down to his belly button, tracing the buttons of his dress shirt.

“Not much else to do in this heat,” she adds demurely. "Is there." 

Suddenly he begins to notice the virtues of her slight top and her short shorts. “Uh huh.” He swallows.

She fingers the lowermost button of his shirt. “So. You wanna make it four shags or what?”

***


End file.
